Post assembly



4, 1965 A. G. DIACK 3,202,296

POST ASSEMBLY Original Filed Aug. 28. 1961 Fra. 70 34 End 66 2 Y mus/v7-0/2 66 ARTHUR G. D/ACK 62 5y ms A rraeusys HARE/s, K/Ecw, RU$$ELL 6:KERN United States Patent 0 amass 4 Claims. or. 211- 134) Thisapplication is a division of my co-pcnding application Serial No.134,273, filed August 23, 1961.

The present invention relates to posts or post assemblies which areparticularly suitable for use in partitions or enclosures mounted onroom dividers, such as counters, in banks, offices, cafeterias, and thelike. Such partitions or enclosures include panels which are usuallyformed of glass, but which may be formed of other materials as well.

General objects of the invention are to provide a post assembly for usein structures of the foregoing nature which is of simple construction,which is of clean cut design to provide an attractive appearance, whichcan readily be made up in various configurations from a relatively smallnumber of different parts, which can be provided with any desired heightsimply by cutting one basic part to the necessary length, which cannotbe disassembled manually by children in school cafeterias, which iseasily cleaned as compared to prior posts for the same purpose, and thelike.

The invention contemplates a post having as the basic component thereofa square tube which may be cut to any desired length and which isprovided on opposite sides thereof with internal screw troughs adaptedto receive screws extending through a base plate seated against thelower end of the tube, the base plate being mountable on a counter, orother room divider. This construction provides a connection between thebase plate and the tube which is extremely rigid and which is achievedwith a simple tube and a simple, flat base plate. In other words, thereis no necessity for a base plate having a boss, or the like, insertableinto the lower end of the tube, which is important since it minimizesmanufacturing costs.

The invention also contemplates a post having a closure for the upperend of the square tube which comprises simply a cap driven into theupper end of the tube with a press fit. With this construction, the capcannot be removed manually, which is particularly important inconnection with partition posts installed in school cafeterias, removalof partition post caps by children in school cafeterias being a seriousproblem with prior installations.

The invention further contemplates a partition post the square tube ofwhich has secured thereto one or more vertical, external, outwardlyfacing channels for receiving the vertical edges of partition panels ofglass, or other materials. The number and locations of the channelsmounted on a particular partition post tube depend on whether the postis an end post, a center post, an inside corner post, an outside cornerpost, or the like. The lower edges of the partition panels may be spacedupwardly from the counter, or other surface on which the partition postsare mounted, or they may rest on such counter, or other surface.

An important object of the invention is to provide a partition post ofthe foregoing construction carrying a shelf bracket which includes ablock driven into the upper end of the square tube so as to secure it tothe tube with a press tit, and which includes an arm secured to suchblock within the square tube and projecting laterally outwardly from thetube through a vertical slot in the upper end thereof. With thisconstruction, the weight of a shelf carried by the shelf bracket istransmitted did fidfi Faterrted Aug. 24, 1%65 directly to the tubethrough the press fit between the tube and the supporting block, and noWeight is transferred to the material of the tube at the lower end ofthe slot for the arm of the shelf bracket, which is an importantfeature. If desired, similar results may be achieved with other rigidconnections between the block and the tube.

Another object is to provide a shelf bracket having shelf retainingclips, one secured to the outer end of the bracket arm, and the otherseated on the upper end of the tube and secured to the tube by screwsthreaded into the upper ends of the screw troughs in the tube.

The foregoing objects, advantages, features and results of the presentinvention, together with various other objects, advantages, features andresults thereof which will be evident to those skilled in the art towhich the invention relates in the light of this disclosure, may beachieved with the exemplary embodiments of the invention described indetail hereinafter and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary isometric view illustrating a glass partitionwhich incorporates a typical partition post of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded isometric view of the partition post or postassembly shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary sectional view taken along thearrowed line 33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary isometric view illustrating a partition post ofthe invention which includes a shelf bracket; and

FIGS. 5 and 6 are sectional views respectively taken along the arrowedlines 55 and 6-6 of FIG. 4 of the drawing.

Referring initially to FIG. 1 of the drawing, illustrated therein is acounter top '18, or the like, having mounted thereon a glass partition12 incorporating an outside corner partition post or post assembly 14which embodies the invention. The partition 12 includes two glass panels16 and 18 supported by the post 14. The lower edge of the panel 16 isshown as spaced upwardly from the counter top 10, while the lower edgeof the panel 18 is shown as resting on the counter top.

As best shown in FIG. 2 of the drawing, the post 14 includes as thebasic component thereof a square tube 20, which may be cut from a stocklength to the length necessary to provide the post with the heightdesired. The tube 29 is provided on opposite sides thereof, andcentrally of such opposite sides, with internal, longitudinal screwtroughs 22. Preferably, the tube 20 is made of a relatively softmaterial, such as aluminum, or an aluminum alloy, so that conventionalself-tapping screws will cut their own threads, not shown, in the screwtroughs 22.

The post 14 includes a flat base plate 24 which is simply seated againstthe lower end of the tube 20 and which is secured thereto by screws 25extending upwardly through the base plate and threaded into the lowerends of the screw troughs 22, the heads of the screws 26 preferablybeing countersunk into the lower surface of the base plate. Thisconstruction provides. an interconnection between the base plate 24 andthe tube 20 which is extremely rigid, but which is attained very simplywith inexpensively manufactured parts.

In the construction illustrated, the base plate 24 extends laterallybeyond the sides of the tube 20 and is secured to the counter top 10 byscrews 28, which may be ordinary wood screws, extending downwardlythrough holes in the base plate and threaded into the counter top.Preferably, the heads of the screws 28 are countersunk into the uppersurface of the base plate.

As an alternative to the foregoing means of securing the base plate 24to the counter top 10, the base plate line post, an inside corner post,and the like.

"as to secure the block to the tube with a press fit.

'32 driven into the tube so as to secure it thereto with a press fit, noother securement being necessary. The two legs or flanges 32. of the cap32 are so positioned that they engage the sides of the tube Zil whichare not provided with the screw troughs 22 thereon. The cap 32 has agroove 33 which receives the upper ends of the screw troughs 22, the capseating on the screw troughs to limit insertion thereof into the tube20.

The foregoing construction provides a very simple means of securing thecap 32 to the upper end of the tube 2t), and makes manual removal of thecap impossible. This is an important feature in installations, such asin school cafeterias, which are exposed to children. As is well known,children as a class are notorious for dismantling things out ofcuriosity, or in a spirit of horse play, and are particularly prone toremoving things like caps on the upper ends of posts of the type towhich the present invention relates. The cap 32, however, cannot beremoved manually and is thus childproof. If desired, the cap 32 can beprovided with a marginal flange or lip to cover the exposed upper end ofthe tube 20.

The panel 16 is secured to the tube 20 by inserting the adjacentvertical edge of the panel into an outwardly facing, vertical channel,or channel-shaped shoe 34, suitably secured to the corresponding side ofthe tube 20, as by screws 36. The lower edge of the panel 16 issupported by a saddle 38 straddling the lower end of the channel 34,this saddle being secured by one of the screws 36.

The other panel 18 is retained by an outwardly-facing vertical channel40 secured to the corresponding side of the tube 20, as by screws 42. Inthis case, since the lower edge of the panel 18 rests on the counter top10, the channeldtl extends downwardly to the counter top. The base plate24 is provided with a notch 44 in the corresponding edge thereof toreceive the lower end of the channel 40. With this construction, thechannel 40 is rigidly keyed to the base plate 24, and thus to the tube20, which is an important feature. 7

It will be understood that the particular partition post or postassembly 14 illustrated is intended as exemplary only. In other words,while the invention has been shown as embodied in the outside cornerpost 14, it may equally well be embodied in an end post, a center or in-In the event that the particular post location requires two or morepanels having their lower edges resting on the counter top 10, or othersupporting surfaces, the base plate will have a corresponding number ofnotches to receive and key the lower ends of the corresponding retainingchannels for the panels. 7

Turning to FIGS. 4 to 6 of the drawing, illustrated therein is a centeror in-line partition post 48 of the invention which is similar to thepartition post 14, but which includes a shelf bracket 50. The post 43includes a square tube 52, similar to the tube 26?, in which 'the shelfbracket 50 is mounted. The tube 52 is provided with screw troughs 54- onopposite sides thereof which are similar to the screw troughs 22.

The shelf bracket 50 includes at its inner end a block 56 which isdriven into the upper end of the tube 52 so The block 56 is providedwith grooves 58 therein to accom inodate the screw troughs 54.

The block 56 is provided therein with a groove 6t) into which isinserted the inner end of a bracket arm 62;,

this arm being secured to the block by one or more recessed pins 64,FIG. 5. The bracket arms 62 projects laterally from one side of the tube52 through a vertical slot 66 which is formed in such side of the tubeand which extends downwardly from the upper end of the tube. The loweredge of the bracket arm 62 is spaced upwardly from the lower end of theslot 66 slightly so that no weight is transmitted to the material of thetube 52 at the lower end of the slot, all of the load being carried bythe press fit between the block 56 and the tube, and by a clip 68 to bedescribed.

The shelf bracket 5% includes inner and outer clips 68 and 70 forretaining a shelf, not shown, or the adjacent ends of two shelves, notshown, formed of glass, or any other suitable material. The inner clip68 includes a flat base 72 seated on the upper end of the tube 52 andsecured by countersunk screws '74, only one of which is visible in FIG.4 of the drawing, threaded into the upper ends of the respective screwtroughs 54. The inner clip 68 is provided with a lip 76 under which ashelf, or the adjacent ends of two shelves, may be inserted.

The outer clip 70 is secured to the outer end of the bracket arm 62 by arecessed screw 78, which permits downward pivoting of the outer clip topermit insertion of a shelf, or the adjacent ends of two shelves. Theouter clip 7b is provided with a channel 80 having an upper lip 82.aligned with and facing the lip '76 of the inner clip 6%.

Preferably, the inner and outer clips 68 and 70 are pro vided withelastomeric buttons 84 and 86, or the like, on which the shelf orshelves rest, this being particularly desirable in the case of glassshelves.

Although an exemplary embodiment of the invention has been disclosedherein for purposes of illustration, it will be understood that variouschanges, modifications and substitutions may be incorporated in suchembodiment without departing from the spirit of the invention as definedby the claims which follow:

What is claimed is:

ll. A post assembly mountable on a supporting structure, and including:

(a) a square tube provided with internal screw troughs on two oppositesides thereof, and provided with a central longitudinal slot in a thirdside thereof, said slot extending from one end of said tube toward theother end thereof;

(b) a shelf bracket including a block inserted int said one end of saidtube and secured to said tube;

(c) said shelf bracket also including an arm secured to said blockwithin said tube and projecting laterally outwardly from said tubethrough said slot therein; and

(d) said block being recessed to receive said screw troughs.

Z. A post assembly mountable on a supporting structure, and including:

(a) a square tube provided with internal screw troughs on two oppositesides thereof, and provided with a central longitudinal slot in a thirdside thereof, said slot extending from one end of said tube toward theother end thereof;

(b) a shelf bracket including a block driven into said one end of saidtube and secured to said tube with a press fit;

(c) said shelf bracket also including an arm secured to said blockwithin said tube and projecting laterally outwardly from said tubethrough said slot therein; and

(d) opposite sides of said block being recessed to receive said screwtroughs.

3. A post assembly mountable on a supporting structure, and including:

(a) a square tube provided with internal screw troughs on two oppositesides thereof, and provided with a central longitudinal slot in a thirdside thereof, said slot extending from one end of said tube toward theother end thereof;

(b) a shelf bracket including a block in said one end of said tube andsecured to said tube;

(c) said shelf bracket also including an arm secured to said blockwithin said tube and projecting laterally outwardly from said tubethrough said slot therein;

(d) opposite sides of said block being recessed to receive said screwtroughs; and

(e) said shelf bracket further including a shelf retaining clip seatedon said one end of said tube and secured to said tube by screwsextending through said clip and threaded into said screw troughs.

4. A post assembly mountable on a supporting structure, and including:

(a) a square tube provided with internal screw troughs on two oppositesides thereof, and provided with a central longitudinal slot in a thirdside thereof, said slot extending from one end of said tube toward theother end thereof;

(b) a shelf bracket including a block driven into said one end of saidtube and secured to said tube with a press fit;

(c) said shelf bracket also including an arm secured to said blockwithin said tube and projecting laterally outwardly from said tubethrough said slot therein;

(d) opposite sides of said block being recessed to receive said screwtroughs; and

(e) said shelf bracket further including a shelf retaining clip seatedon said one end of said tube and secured to said tube by screwsextending through said clip and threaded into said screw troughs.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 768,929 8/04Breese 248-246 1,911,377 5/33 Mapson 3l2-140 2,73 6,403 2/56 Gwynne189--76 FOREIGN PATENTS 791,726 10/35 France.

CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner.

1. A POST ASSEMBLY MOUNTABLE ON A SUPPORTING STRUCTURE, AND INCLUDING:(A) A SQUARE TUBE PROVIDED WITH INTERNAL SCREW TROUGHS ON TWO OPPOSITESIDES THEROF, AND PROVIDED WITH A CENTRAL LONGITUDINAL SLOT IN A THIRDSIDE THEREOF, SAID SLOT EXTENDING FROM ONE END OF SAID TUBE TOWARD THEOTHER END THEREOF;